The product in one line
What is the product, who is it for, and what moment should make someone care?
Example: A compact cable organizer for people who work from a crowded desk.FREE DTC VIDEO-AD + PRODUCT-AD PLANNING TOOL
Get the brief right before you make the next batch of product ads.
A useful DTC video-ad or product-ad brief is not a long creative wish list. It is one page that tells a maker what is true, what they can use, which formats matter, and what each version is meant to learn.
WHY THIS EXISTS
Most weak ad batches start with an incomplete brief.
When the facts, offer, source files, or boundaries are fuzzy, creative gets generic fast. Fill this out before you ask anyone to make product ads. You will get clearer work whether you make it in-house, hire a freelancer, or book a BackedCut sprint.
COPY THIS INTO YOUR PROJECT DOC
The product-ad brief template
Keep answers short and specific. Link to source material instead of pasting a messy folder into the brief.
The approved fact
Write one factual statement your team can stand behind. Include any qualifier the statement needs.
Example: Keeps charging cables together at the desk edge. Not: Makes every desk perfectly organized.The offer and next action
State the current price, promotion, destination URL, desired format or placement, and the exact action the ad should ask for.
Example: 15% off through Sunday. Send people to the product page. Formats: 9:16 video and 4:5 static. Action: Shop the cable organizer.Source material that is actually usable
Gather product shots, product-in-use footage, logo files, brand colors, existing approved copy, and any required disclaimer language.
A product URL is context, not a substitute for files you have rights to use.What the creative must avoid
List claims that need legal review, prohibited comparisons, unapproved customer language, visual no-goes, and platform-specific limits.
Example: No medical, savings, or before-and-after claims unless supplied and approved in writing.Quick readiness check
If you cannot point to the exact source asset, approved fact, price, and destination page, the brief is not ready to hand off yet.
READY-TO-USE VERSION
Start with a blank brief, not a blank page.
Copy the full outline into your project doc or download a simple Markdown file. No email gate, account, or follow-up required.
TURN ONE BRIEF INTO TESTABLE DIRECTIONS
Five angles worth separating
These are planning lenses, not claims. Each one should use the same approved fact set and a clean, distinct opening.
Opening action
Show the product doing the useful thing before any explanation.
Product detail
Put the approved fact next to the physical detail that proves it.
Audience moment
Place the product in a familiar, approved use context for the intended buyer.
Objection
Clarify a practical uncertainty without inventing a promise or result.
Clean CTA
End with the approved action, offer, and destination—nothing implied.